Patrik Laine looked like a guy who was on the verge of busting out of a six-game goal-scoring slump.

The dangerous looks were there and it just seemed like a matter of time before the Winnipeg Jets sniper would find the back of the net again.

Now that Laine has, what’s going to happen next?

As the Jets get set to face the Nashville Predators on Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena in the ultimate swing game, might Laine be on the verge of one of his patented hot streaks?

Or might one of the other young scorers on the Jets be able to break the goose egg that is currently under the goal column.

There has been plenty of attention given to both Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers during the playoffs and for good reason.

Connor, a second-year pro who finished first among NHL rookies in goals with 31, and Ehlers combined for 60 goals during the regular season.

Although there is much more to their respective games than scoring, you can’t ignore the fact they’ve combined for no goals during the nine post-season contests.

This is not to point the finger at the youngsters, but when a series between the top two teams during the regular season is tied 2-2, part of the responsibility for the top offensive players is to produce goals.

The players in question, members of the Jets leadership group and head coach Paul Maurice are all saying the right things when the subject has been broached.

“This time of year you want to win above everything else. Period,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “Those two guys have played with a ton of speed, they’ve been on the puck, they’ve had ample scoring chances. When your team is winning hockey games without those two guys scoring, that’s a real good sign. Because they’re going to score goals.”

But when?

That remains the unanswered question.

It’s not from a lack of effort from Ehlers or Connor or Laine, prior to Thursday’s marker that made it a one-goal game with 50.2 seconds left in regulation of what became a 2-1 loss.

During Game 3, Maurice flip-flopped Ehlers and Connor and the change sparked both players.

But during a Game 4 where the Predators built a 2-0 lead and clamped down and played a suffocating defensive style, the Jets couldn’t find an answer until it was too late.

Maurice even split up Mark Scheifele and captain Blake Wheeler for a few shifts.

That’s not something he’s done often, nor is it something Maurice wants to do again this series.

But the fact of the matter is that beyond the four goals from Scheifele in this series, the guy right behind him is Brandon Tanev, who has three.

That’s a testament to Tanev becoming the latest checking-line guy who finds a way to boost his offensive totals when it matters most.

Tanev isn’t quite scoring at the John Druce or Chris Kontos levels, but he’s added another layer to his game.

Those types of contributions are essential at this time of the year, where unlikely heroes are known to step into the spotlight.

On the flip side, Wheeler has two goals, Paul Stastny has two goals (double check) and Laine has one.

The Jets have made it abundantly clear they don’t care where the goals come from, they still need more a few different players.

Over the course of the season, the Jets have leaned heavily on their depth, both up front and on the back end.

If the Jets are to find a way to win two of the next three games and advance to the third round, it’s hard to imagine them doing so without being able to get back to that balanced attack.

The expected return of Mathieu Perreault should help, but he hasn’t played in more than three weeks and he was limited to one goal and two points during his final 23 games, following a three-point showing against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 18.

That means the Jets are going to rely on the guys who helped pace the offence during the regular season.

Part of the reason the Jets were so successful during the regular season was that they could count on some production from all four lines, with the defence chipping in as well.

The sooner Laine, Ehlers and Connor get into an offensive groove, the more dangerous the Jets are going to be.

This Week's Flyers

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